1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means and/or method for displaying the features of a consumer electronics product. The present invention specifically relates to displaying the features of a consumer electronics product which has limited alpha-numeric display capability.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
On the display floor of a typical consumer electronics retailer there are usually many models of a particular type of product aligned together, such as televisions, VCRs, stereo, amplifiers, etc. In the case of televisions or computer monitors the consumer can make a direct comparison of picture quality or for stereo components comparison of audio quality is often possible. Often, however, direct comparison is impractical and/or expensive for the retailer and products are merely displayed more or less unattended. In this instance there maybe little to differentiate these products beyond the visual appearance of the outer casing of the product.
Especially in mass marketing or so called "warehouse" locations, product differentiation is left to "feature banners" which are labels applied to the products or their boxes to detail the inherent features of the products. Televisions or computer monitors having essentially unlimited text and pictorial display capability may be easily arranged to provide self-demonstration of their inherent features in an unattended sales environment. However, VCRs or other small electronic devices generally not hooked up to an output device may have little in the way of appearance differentiation, and are further constrained from self-demonstration by having a limited means for displaying information such as an alpha-numeric display of less than twelve segments. Thus, product differentiation means for the display models are doubly important yet very constricted by the capabilities of the consumer electronics device.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a means for displaying the features of such a consumer electronics unit while on display on the sales floor in order to differentiate the product from the surrounding competitive units.